In Sickness and Picturesque Lies
by Jun Yabriel
Summary: Remake of my 2007 work, "Picturesque." What calling did Sonic heed? What made this mysterious black hedgehog so alluring to him? Was it his pillbox eyes? Was it his full Cupid's Bow? In every snapshot, Sonic always felt an uneasy yearning in his chest. There was something about the 26-year-old that the 19-year-old couldn't put his finger on... :FRAME 6 UP: "I want you..."
1. Frame One

**Jun Yabriel:** Hey, everybody! Surprise - a preview of my (newly remodeled) 1st chpt of Picturesque! I'm not gonna get too ahead of myself here, so the fic will remain "On Hiatus" for another while, till I unclutter my brain of other projects. Hang tight, though! Let my other works tide you over in the meantime. I just wanted to post this one now because I finished it - like - an hour ago. XDD

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>In Sickness and Picturesque Lies<strong>

Part One

_.frame one._

Black ink scuttled smoothly by the X mark along the footer of an official-looking document. The pristine gold watch on that flicking wrist read forty-three minutes past the eighth hour.

The atmosphere was sunny and warm, and a tad breezy for such a late-summer morn. The air conditioning wasn't needed for that time of day; the casual breezes floating through the windows sufficed. A few windowpanes were open around the relatively tall concrete base, but from the ninth floor on it turned into an even taller triangular prism—although, it was still much shorter amidst the other buildings. The upcoming fall's chill started to kick its way in, and the warmth would soon make a displeasing departure. Schoolchildren would be returning to their classrooms in caps and mittens, soon. Ice cream vendors would have to choose between hot chocolate and soup to sell streetwise. Autumn holiday had reached full swing, so the chances of gaining employment were nigh.

Fine silk drapes rolled.

"It will truly be a pleasure doing business with you, sir."

"Likewise. It's quite an honor for me to be hired by such 'accomplished' designers."

"Please don't be embarrassed to say that by any means! This'll be a big start in all of our careers!" A third male clapped with enthusiasm. "No need for gaucheness, right?"

The second man nodded a half-smile to the colorful-bow-tied, white-suited man.

"Please be in the lobby at the same time tomorrow. The receptionist will direct you to our office, so you won't have to go looking for us," the first male voice instructed, smiling over his summery hound's-tooth necktie. "Until then, good day, Mr., umm…?"

"Shadow," the second man replied. He nodded. "Just Shadow."

The other two men blinked. Then, they smiled. "Thanks for clarifying," spoke the black-suited man again. "All right then, Shadow. We bid you adieu." They stood formally from their seats and exchanged handshakes.

"Thanks again," Shadow said gratefully, returning their handshakes and showing a friendly smirk. "I look forward to working with you."

* * *

><p>Shadow left the attention-grabbing executive building with a binder, bearing the company's chic insignia stamped on the cover, tucked under his arm. He stopped a little bit a ways to check his phone.<p>

The sky was now overcast, but sunbeams still found crevices in the clouds to shine through. He took his chance with the morning and wore a black patent leather overcoat off his shoulders, a modest T-shirt-waistcoat combination, and faded-black skinny jeans, since he wasn't a frequenter of outside daylight. He carried a similar-looking umbrella just in case of a cloud burst. His boots tapped out a rhythm on the pavement.

He pecked at his Smartphone's screen. "Contact Saved," the notification read.

"That is now my workplace's number. Score," Shadow smirked, sliding the phone into his pocket. "Oh, wait. That's right." He spun on a ball and made his way back inside.

Moments after, Shadow rode out of the parking complex. A "Dark Rider" to the core, Shadow's Harley Davidson XL 1200 mirrored most aspects of him. Red and black, it was a creative classic to every biker in town. Shadow made sure his baby was meticulous to the T. It was beautiful. Ever since he graduated from college, he vowed to make it his first "car." Scrounging up too little to make it a graduation gift to himself, his discouragement fled when a neighbor, an elderly mink, discounted it to him. A previous belonging of her deceased grandson, Shadow promised love and upkeep would go into it before she moved out to a nursing home.

Shadow always rode it with pride. The engine growled like a tiger, and the license plate was big enough for "ULT RIDE" to fit. In regard to it, Shadow's motorist boots were also black with red trims. His helmet was streamlined for smooth riding, contoured to his specific head size and to accommodate his quills. Even his ears were put into consideration. An _otaku_ could easily resemble him to Celty Sturluson; any who were especially ambitious could see it right down to the cat-suit. Albeit, that'd be over the black hedgehog's dead body.

"I can't believe I nearly forgot my baby!" He knocked on his helmet. "I've been riding the bus _way_ too long. Thank you, Mrs. Dillard!"

Both sides looked clear. Shadow took off, heading towards an intersection. An overhead light flashed in his favor.

* * *

><p>The city park looked active. Was some kind of event going on? Shadow coasted by, seeing booths and tables set up around the main pathway. He even spotted a concert stage with a live rock band performing for hundreds of spectators. Decorative pots held exotic-looking flowers. Self-published books made plenty of debuts—and money. Handmade trinkets came in all sorts of colors and shapes but on cool, convenient key-rings. True enthusiasts came in vivid costumes. While some were brighter than others, they all shared a whimsy native to the Far East.<p>

Shadow pulled over across the street after spying a Mexican food truck. The entrance's banner exclaimed "14th Annual Aninomicon—where chic geeks and otaku masters can band together under one Sahaquiel-shaped umbrella!"

A question mark hovered over Shadow's head for a moment. "An anime convention? I didn't know they held those here…." He took off his helmet to blink at a cosplayer actually in a costume reminiscent of the creature referred. "What an ominous-looking eye…!" He could feel his skin creeping.

The truck vendor waved him off after the order of nachos was made. Shadow took them into his hands, but as he turned away, abrasive Spanish spewed from the mustached man's mouth. A tough day on its own—but in front of an anime convention, mysteriously. The hedgehog shrugged it off, though.

Classically striped, a parasol promised to protect streetwalkers from whatever the sky decided to cook up. The grayness did seem deceiving: Was it going to rain? Was Shadow's phone's weather app really that reliable? Should instinct or technology have governed his next move?

Well, at least he wouldn't be alone, even if the weather did deceive him.

A blue hedgehog appeared very engrossed by a handheld—videogame, according to the sound effects Shadow heard. An 8-bit soundtrack flowed in micro-staffs from the relatively old model. Perhaps a Gameboy or something? Shadow wasn't too far abreast of the day's game crazes. But what the blue hedgehog had looked really, really old—like obsolete, ancient, it had to be a technological antique.

But somehow, Shadow was inwardly charmed by it.

"Hey, excuse me?"

The blue hedgehog stole another couple bars' worth of 8-bit soundtrack before looking up.

"Was someone sitting here?"

In an almost blindsided manner, the other hedgehog shook his head. Slowly. Carefully. As if not to miss a single movement.

Shadow nodded a "Thanks" to him, pulled out the chair, faced it towards his bike, and sat down. There was only one line of tables along that side of the street. Sadly, it was disproportionate to the other seven food stands just across from them. People weren't going to sit in the rain, most thought, if they had important things to do, places to go, people to meet. So, in a way, Shadow was lucky. This kid didn't look like he had better things to do; he was clearly a gamer, merely looking at him. Eyes glued to the screen, a satchel with game cartridges inside clipped to his belt—he even sported a videogame-themed T-shirt. Not sure from which one, Shadow dispatched any guesses from his mind.

The exception was, the boy's eyes weren't glued to the screen anymore. In fact, they'd stayed on Shadow. The black hedgehog seemed mildly amused by the candid-camera fashion walks these cosplayers were doing. A couple of girls were in Goth-Loli dresses, a guy or five in Gundam armor-suits, an Edward Elric and a Roy Mustang. Some even came as they were—in T-shirts, jeans, sneakers, and a hat, maybe. He sipped a Dr. Pepper to it, stifling snickers and hiding tiny smiles. Before he transitioned to tinkering with his phone, Shadow snatched up a return in eye contact.

"Is there a reason why you're staring at me?"

The hedgehog gamer immediately averted his gaze to see Shadow's bike instead. The shiny finish was first-seen, but a good contingency plan for any cop-out answer he'd give. "I just…put two and two together and…figured out you're the one with the 'Ultimate Ride.' That's all…sir." But his eyes didn't stay and went past the parasol.

Somehow turned off by the offhanded answer, Shadow gave the younger male a dismissive look. "Yeah, you're not wrong about _that_…but it's still impolite to stare."

"Sorry." It came quickly. But as Shadow's eyes closed, the boy's eyes lowered.

"I guess it's alright. No worries." A nacho was brought up to his mouth. Then—_crunch!_

The chips must've been really thin. Really crisp. Cheese glued them together in mangled shapes. To some Shadow chuckled, other he simply pulled apart. The zesty cheddar hit the boy's nose hard. Perfectly gooey and tasty, Shadow sucked his fingers clean before cycling back into it all.

The boy's eyes caught motions he'd missed before. Shadow was making nachos look and sound so good. Did he want nachos? The Spanish-flinging vendor would blast him out of the water if he loitered too long. Money equaled supply shopping to that man. And that meant more money towards bill-paying, business-keeping, and—most importantly—mouth-feeding. Whether it regarded his customers or his wife and kids, the late teen didn't know. But one thing that was straightening out was the taste for melted cheddar.

_"Nachos sound good right now…"_ he thought.

Some cheese had dribbled across Shadow's chin. A thumb swiped it off before rendezvousing with his lips and tongue.

_"…Like, _really_ good, right now."_

The other young man veered his eyes toward the binder. There were papers sticking neatly out of it. The laminated cover had a glare on it; its label was hard to read. At the top was handwriting. Wasn't sure whose it was, but he saw that it was in red ink.

Just like the older man's glare.

His gaming system face-palmed: _Bwee—bwee—byoop!_ "GAME OVER."

_Frame One Photographed…_


	2. Frame Two

**Triple 7: **I'd meant to put this up on Sat., but I was hit with an anxiety attack. Here it is, though! It's short, but all the chpts are meant to be "scene-length" vignettes. Hope you enjoy, anyway!

* * *

><p><strong>In Sickness and Picturesque Lies<strong>

_.frame two._

The signage in "T.M. Smiths" blinked: Its red neon "Open" could've used a makeover. Stuck over it on the same window was "Bill Payments Inside."

T.M. Smiths worked as a utilities agency, collecting payments and liaising between customers and respective services for the big three in property maintenance. It worked with water, gas, and electricity; the intricacies were handled separately, like heating/air conditioning, sewage, and waste collection. Up the street from a blood donation center, Shadow decided to couple up his contributions to society in one day.

His bills were due that day—close call—so Shadow decided to take them down in the morning. He stood in a relatively short line before reaching the counter. "Good morning," he heard the female clerk, a late bloomer, greet him. With a friendly smirk, he returned her greeting.

As he waited for his bills to be processed, wallet awaiting his signal, he heard a familiar 8-bit soundtrack. His ear twitched; it couldn't be, he thought. He contemplated a rearward turn. Luckily, a street-facing window could serve as a good excuse. A sleek red sports car rode by; Shadow seized his chance.

Somehow, at the exact same time, the blue hedgehog—the one he'd met less than a week ago—had turned his head to gawk at the car. While his lips simulated a smooth whistle, Shadow snuck in a smirk. _"This kid…"_ He also caught sight of envelopes tucked under his arm. Today, he chose a more tamed T-shirt to wear with his cargo shorts; was it still that hot? His cartridge belt seemed to accessorize with anything he wore, oddly. He looked even more like a gangly teenager, now that he was standing. Pushing it further, he was only a few inches shorter than Shadow's own 5'7".

"_Oh well. It's just a coincidence, I'm sure."_

The clerk's request for payment brought him out of his thoughts. He did as she asked, without much delay.

That's when it was the teenager's turn to recognize Shadow again. His sharp green eyes sparkled. _"Hey, it's him…!"_ A somewhat excited smile upturned his mouth's corners. His handheld had been pocketed, but his hand stopped. It looked like the man had finished his business. Then came a tiny gulp.

"Hey there," the boy hogtied his courage. He tugged at Shadow's sleeve. "Remember me? The kid at the food cart?"

But the other hedgehog looked like he was in a rush suddenly. He was stuffing his wallet into his pocket and folding up his envelopes. "Oh yeah, I do. Didn't catch your name last time, but I'm Shadow."

"Uh—I'm Sonic. Nice to meet you…again!"

"Yeah, likewise. Sorry, but I got an appointment to meet. See ya 'round."

The older hedgehog trotted off, headed through the exit, and pulled out his keys. His "Ultimate Ride" had been waiting patiently for him. Happily, the engine revved. Shadow strapped on his helmet and, by the time Sonic went to take his turn, he was gone.

A glow had come into Sonic's face. "Yeah…see ya 'round."

"Sir? Sir, it's your turn."

It was a dreamy glow. Calmly setting his forms on the countertop didn't disrupt it either. The clerk, in turn, took them, giving Sonic a strange look. Shadow's eyes and friendly smirk had made a flutter in Sonic's chest. He wasn't sure what it was. He couldn't take his eyes away from the place Shadow's bike had left from. For one reason or another, he didn't want to.

"The total for the light bill is $390 even, sir. As for the gas and water, that'll…"

The receptionist's voice sounded so far away. His pounding heartbeat drowned it out.

"See ya…" Sonic's eyes lowered. The sparkle in them went dark. "See ya…"

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "…Sir?"

_Frame Two Photographed…_


	3. Frame Three

**In Sickness and Picturesque Lies**

_.frame three._

The autumn season also meant back-to-school season. Not just for the tykes and teens; the twentysomethings, and those a year or two shy, were fresh out of orientation before routines could be set, dormer arrangements made, books bought, and goodbye kisses exchanged. 4th-year students were determined, pushing toward graduation. All Sonic had to do was survive his 1st year.

Very unlike high school, the local college abandoned the "man and -more, son and father" placements and named the students' ranks outright. Because it really was the start of the hedgehog's first year in college. His aunt wasn't too keen on dormitory living, so she continued to house him—so long as he found a decent job. Posters for the video games Galaga and Metroid were stuck over his bed. Vinyl figurines dotted the shelves, and totes of notepads, comic books, and _manga_ cluttered an entire corner. Duly labeled, he insisted on it. One day they'd be valuable, he said to his aunt. Ironically, it was her new boyfriend who'd started him on the hobby. Video games had taken over a majority of Sonic's life, unfortunately, thanks to him.

For the moment, however, the college campus was cozy, not at all extravagant. It was just a community college; its wealthier chain school, Russell Boroughs University, held the title of "8th Oldest University in the Country," standing since 1859. Age graced its moldings and buttresses. The community college was much, much younger than it—only open since 1972. A great-great-grandchild-aged sibling, but a link to it nonetheless.

Something about its cracks and tarnishes inspired Sonic. He wasn't just an avid gamer and pop culture enthusiast. He also enjoyed photography.

Olympus reminded him of Zeus and the Greek Pantheon too much, so he settled on a Nikon. Emphasis on the "Ni" in Nikon irritated him: "It's a Japanese product. It's pronounced 'Nee-kon' with a _long_ 'O'! Jeez!" He respected the language enough to correct the mostly commonplace way. It's just that nobody cared to adopt it. Which always left a sour—and squiggly—knot over his head.

Much like a few moments ago, after he'd run into some Photography classmates. Opinionated and condescending, a pair of young men teased him about his obsession over Nikon's pronunciation. "Dude, nobody cares!" "Yeah, so stop wasting your breath—and people's time! Who wants to know, anyway?" It wasn't an obsession, really; more like a pet peeve. It was enough to make him storm away, too.

Sometime afterwards, Sonic sat under a shady tree. Autumn gusts whipped at his jacket hems. Pages in his blue binder flittered, too. The pictures, photographs protected by cellophane envelopes and collaged in varying sizes and occasions, made his memories stir. It had been only a week since the _anime_ convention. A freelancer in every way, he didn't mind those Goth-Loli models asking to snap a picture with their Smartphones. One guy in a Gundam suit wanted him to photograph a mock battle between him and his friend. More serious cosplayers wanted to recreate scenes with his skill. They'd all said thanks, and he'd even gotten some praise from them. "Your pics are awesome!" "Do you have a website, or a Tumblr blog? I wanna follow you!" "Just what I wanted! Thanks!" He always printed his photos. They made his portfolio expand—thus, making it heavier. A perspective shot of a garden ledge made him remember a movie he saw as a child. Petunias peeked over to wave at whatever was below. Cute pink flowers, he thought.

Then, like a bolt from the blue, he remembered Shadow.

Calm, cool, and collected. Suave and trendy, but uniquely "him." Tall, dark, and handsome.

The thumps beneath his shirt quickened. "What the—Where did that…?"

T.M. Smiths was a place to pay bills, not hook up with people! But Sonic remembered the "Dark Rider" and, oddly, the style of his quills: the upper spikes were tied back, like a ponytail, while the lower ones draped—two curving toward his chest, while the last reached his waist. Kind of a girly style, but appropriate. Somehow, it made him look sleeker, chicer, nothing like the rough-and-tough variants of bikers. He was slender, surely with a lean build. His tank had some pretty awesome graphics on it. His boots were rad, his gloves and jacket matched.

_"See ya 'round…"_

He didn't even sound like a typical biker. He sounded gentle. His voice was a church bell ringing in the distance. His tiny laugh could gather angels, Sonic swore. But why was he thinking so much—so hard—about it?

"Why am I so hung up on this?" Sonic had shut his binder. He rolled over on his side. "I need a life."

His cheeks were much pinker than those petunias.

_Frame Three Photographed…_


	4. Frame Four

**In Sickness and Picturesque Lies**

_.frame four._

"Yay! We've got a new teammate!" A baby-faced young man had thrown his hands into the air. "Welcome, welcome!"

"Yes, indeed." A white-suited black squirrel smiled. His ears stood higher with the tufts. His tail twitched happily. "Think of this as a 'work-warming' party, Shadow. Congratulations."

"Totally," his monochromatically polar opposite agreed. Underneath his black jacket was a fairly colorful geometric print. His own tufted ears perked up. "Noir here's just acting modest. He really wants you guys to dig in, so don't be shy!" His toothy snicker was a bit off-putting to his twin brother, but he smiled nonetheless.

A party of sorts did commence. Men and women were in attendance, from svelte to stocky and everything in-between. Tabletop chatter murmured all over the lounge. The baby-faced man appeared to be no older than 15 years old. "Hi! My name's Christopher! I look really young, don't I?" he chuckled. "Tell ya the truth, I'm actually 24!" He winked playfully. "There's another guy named Christopher here, too! Have you met him yet?"

A laidback but very woodsy skunk caught sight of Shadow being towed closer to him. Apparently Native in blood, his spiky ivory-streaked "flow-hawk" reached toward his torso. Tasseled feathers hung alongside. "Hey there," he remarked. Laidback, even in his tone.

The peppier Chris plumped up his ermine cheeks. "Since there's two of us, I tell people how to differentiate us! He's been here longer than me, so he wanted to go by 'Cool Chris'—while I"—he poked his cheeks, kicking a leg up—"go by 'Cutie Chris'!"

It left Shadow speechless for a moment. But he wound up chuckling at the weasel's sparkling eyes. "Cool" Chris just shook his head.

* * *

><p>Away from the excitement, Shadow wanted to take a breath of fresh air. Up high, the building's brick-and-mortar base ended with a glass balcony for a crown. The rest soared into a skyscraper. Highly reflective glass shined in the star- and moonlight. The moon was merely a smiling sliver over all the City. A mixture of classical and modern architecture littered all the different quarters. Culturally divided, Italians ran amok where Shadow's new workplace stood. Elegant references to art and literature poured forth from building and street names; even the "Estella D'Angelo" he stood on had a magically ancient flare. Named after a legendary model and actress, that quarter took pride in its cleanliness and sleek design. A bit more modern than its time, the actress came to see it when she was first starting out—at age 26.<p>

The irony of it all: So was Shadow. Except he wasn't planning on becoming an actor. Or Italian.

Glittery-eyed, Shadow hummed softly.

—"Hello?"

"Good evening." A chuckle.

"Aw…hey, baby. How ya doin'? Everything alright?"

"Yeah! Everything's fine, going off without a hitch. There're so many new faces here, I…" He whispered into the phone, "I'm actually kind of intimidated." He plucked a cheese block off a toothpick. "I'm really excited, though."

"Aw yeah? That's good…Just take everything one step at a time, baby. I know you got this."

"Yeah…" His eyes wandered down the street, towards land-locked starlight. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone who can do pictures, would you?"

"…Ahh…Can't say that I do. What's wrong with the ones you got?"

"Nothing's wrong with them, really. I just need a job done by a photographer who's less…pricey." A fairly recent memory entailed a $250 price tag on a set of 4x6s. "I know I got 12 shots out the deal, but…I wish I used that money to get some groceries…and gas." He let out a comically hopeless sigh.

The person on the other end gave a hardy snicker. "D'aww, it's good, baby. You'll find a way. But you know if you're stuck without food, you can just come by my place, right?"

Shadow blushed, smiling awkwardly.

"I can cook you up somethin' real nice…you know?" The snicker was softer, and wilier, this time around.

"Oh shush, you~!" His blush grew.

Flashing lights flickered out the corner of Shadow's eye. "But, anyway, hey? It looks like photo-ops have started. And you'll probably get to see my pretty face on a mag cover soon!" His cheeks turned into candy apples. "Or, at least, under the 'New Talent' column."

"Yeah? Aw, lemme get one—hot off the presses!"

Shadow's heart fluttered; his knees were getting gooey. "I'll see what I can do. For now, I've gotta go. I love you." He blew a kiss through the phone line.

The person blushed vividly. A stifled laugh. "Man…" Then, the kiss was returned. Simply, and lovingly. Shadow's giggle made it a line, too. "Love you too, baby. See you tomorrow."

"See you then. Goodnight."—_Call Ended._

With a singing heart, Shadow trotted back into the lounge. There to ring his neck was "Cutie" Chris. Grinning and peace-signing the cameraman, he made Shadow join in. Taken by obvious surprise, the best response he could come up with, before the blinding flash, was a nervous thumbs up. "Really, Shadow?" Shadow tortured himself, "that's the best response since Swiss cheese."

Chris let out a cute and bubbly "Cheese~!"

But it was pretty good cheese, nonetheless.

_Frame Four Photographed…_


	5. Frame Five

**In Sickness and Picturesque Lies**

_.frame five._

Another glum day. Gray clouds, gray skies, snow was pending. Gray winds, neutral in their frostiness. Gray bark, since it was time for the park's silver elms to hibernate. Huh—trees hibernate too, Sonic remembered as he tossed a rubber ball at the wall. Solo catch cleared his mind. It was the droning, repetitive motion that helped him forget about things. 1st semester was already proving to be a pain. Photography was the only class he actually paid attention in, sadly. Was he destined to bomb his first midterm already? College was nothing like high school, he reasoned once more, compared to his 18-year-old self from not-so-long ago. College fresh-meat, and he's already slacking. He let out a rough sigh. The bouncy ball just happened to be pink—like deep, hot pink. With glitter inside, to boot.

"Sonic? I need help, please!"

"Kay! Coming!"

Downstairs, a brunette hedgehog was scouring out a deep pot. Sonic gawked at her, and all the elbow grease she was putting into it, before offering to take over. "Whew, thank you!" she crooned, wiping sweat from her brow. Her head-quills had been relaxed recently; wavy tresses replaced her normally spiky upturned ponytail. "I'm gonna pop a squat!"

"Auntie, don't say that—you're gonna jinx yourself!" He stuck out a naughty tongue.

Disconcerted eyes bucked before turning to face him. Dread made them spiral. "Why, you little—twerp!"

* * *

><p>Sitting now, Sonic held his cheek. The dishes had been washed tenderly, carefully, and thoroughly. The silverware gleamed, ready to be used. Table glasses sat in the dish cupboard, awaiting morning OJ or anything else the day brought. Even the sink itself shined. "Why'd ya hit me?! I know you're excited and everything, but I'm not ready to see him yet!"<p>

"Hush yo' mouth, boy! I ain't got time for jinxes, so don't _you_ jinx _me!_" the brunette snapped in a colloquial twang. Her emphasis went into her finger-pointing, from her chest to his.

"I wasn't trying to jinx you—I'm sorry! It's just that…when you said 'pop' I got flustered and gave you a knee-jerk reaction, okay?!"

**KA-SWACK!**

"Weh! You didn't have to hit _both_ of them!" Now, he held both cheeks.

The pregnant hedgehog puckered her lips, mumbling unintelligible sour-nothings under her breath. In her hand was an extension cord. She tapped her foot a bit before turning her eyes toward Sonic again. Suddenly, he was really close. She jumped.

His cheek rested against her round belly. "He'll be here soon…won't he?"

Blinking, Sonic's aunt felt him pull her hand into his. She smiled. "Yeah. Darren's excited, too—being a first-time father an' all." Her woodsy-hazel eyes turned bleary from recent memories. "He's been runnin' around like a chicken with its head cut off. All those jobs, and that overtime…I swear, that man…!" She hiccupped, playfully tearful. "I don't wanna lose—my—husband—before I have his baby!"

Sonic's brows crooked in spasms. _"Oh my God…Auntie, no…that's terrible, don't joke like that."_

"Hey?" Her clasp on his tightened first. "Guess what we're gonna name him…!"

Sharp green eyes bucked wide. He threw his head from her stomach and wagged his tail. Her clasp was returned, after his ears perked up. "You've got a name for him?"

"Yup. It was Darren's idea."

Sonic's brow crooked again. In spasms. _"Uh oh…why am I scared?"_

"It's…"—Sonic held his breath.—"gonna be…"—His fists trembled. An imaginary drum roll rumbled through his brain.—"Sirius Farrell!"

There was no reaction for a moment. Absolutely nothing. It was time for Sonic's soul to pack its bags and start walking.

"…You're not serious, are you, Auntie?"

"As 'Sirius' as my newborn son! Wo ho ho ho!"

Farewell, Sonic's soul. "Can I change it?"

"No."

We knew ye well.—**KA-SMACK!**—Sort of.

_Frame Five Photographed…_


	6. Frame Six

**In Sickness and Picturesque Lies**

_.frame six._

Not much later, the day was still gloomy and doomy. It was a good day to just loll about and chill. Well, for an average person; not for Sonic, however. His vintage Game Gear needed new batteries. He also needed new games for his much younger Gameboy Advance. At the moment, Sonic was a tad bored. And it was time for that bouncy ball to do its thing. While still being sparkly and hot-pink.

Home gaming consoles were so expensive. Sonic yearned for the newest Mortal Kombat and Tekken, begged for a demo of Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, and pleaded for a taste of Tales of Xillia. Even though he didn't own a system for them. He figured trying to balance work and school would be a waste of time, energy—brain cells—and money. There was enough of all those things going into his schooling alone. His beloved aunt couldn't support him as well as she wanted to, since she wasn't working due to being pregnant. His "uncle" was working hard enough as it is, due to his "wife," well, being pregnant. (Despite all of the times she'd correct him about it, Sonic still didn't see Darren as her fiancé.) The weirdo-in-frameless-glasses was essentially a repressed _otaku_. Cool in his aunt's presence, and will surely be around their newborn; otherwise, a total nerd. Sonic wouldn't be surprised if he was at the Aninomicon the other week. _"Wouldn't put it past him at all…"_ he thought hopelessly.

So, during his senior year of high school, Sonic entered as many requests and letters of recommendation as he possibly could. And, miraculously, received scholarships from half of them. Giddy, he bounced up and down with his aunt from all the acceptance letters found in three days' worth of mail. College expenses were 80% covered, as far as Sonic knew. His schedule was tiny, and books were cheaper when labeled "used." Food wasn't a necessity, since he ate at home. Rent was an issue, though.

In fact, rent couldn't even be an option. The bouncy ball took a break.

"That's right. Auntie's gonna have the baby in November…" Sonic's thoughts went off course. "I'm gonna need to find a place soon. _Real_ soon. Crap." The ball's glitter looked so tacky. But Sonic couldn't pay it any mind, at the moment. "I've got a month left…before I have to sleep on the couch. _If_ that…Ugh!"

Then, a flicker of memory.

Eyes opened again. "If only there was something I could do…? Maybe a side job—like raking leaves or selling pies? Would Auntie go for that?" Then, a red-streaked ponytail. "We can't sell food off the street—that's illegal, isn't it? Plus, she'd make _me_ bake them all, anyway." That jacket had a crowned heart on it. "Raking leaves sounds better…Maybe I can go door-to-door, and…?" It was a crown of thorns. But adorning a heart, nonetheless.

_"See ya 'round…"_

The man's voice chimed in Sonic's memory. _"…What? Why…?"_ It made the ball slip from his grip. A momentary breakaway. Freedom. Sonic realized he was grasping at nothing, and he blinked at his empty hand. He pulled his eyes over the edge. Back, and forth. Back, and forth. Then, ahead. A squiggly knot had appeared comically. "Why'd ya have to roll so far away? Darn you…." The sparkles laughed in the dull light. "I need a walk."

* * *

><p>"Auntie Rona! I'm going out for a walk!" Sonic yelled back into the den. "Do you need anything?"<p>

She yelled back, "Naw, baby, I'm just resting my feet right now, so I'll be fine! You be careful now, y'hear?"

"Yes'm!" And out he went.

* * *

><p>Gray clouds persisted across gray skies. Gray winds were still neutral in their frostiness. Gray bark, since it was time for the park's silver elms to hibernate. Huh—the park had silver elms, Sonic noticed. They were beautiful and sleepy. Prized for their captivating autumn transformations in sharp contrast to their bark, those groves were. The trees were short because they were young. Children got explanations from their parents—as fantastical as they may've been—about the trees' age equivalency to their own. Taller maples and oaks were compared to adults, while the silver elms were at the same age as a teenaged brother or sister, at most. The autumn transition meant a spectacular show before going to sleep for the winter. Fascinated, a twin-tailed fox ran over and picked up a beautifully orange leaf. He inspected it curiously. He even took out his magnifying glass; much to his parents' amusement. "Wow, it's orange—like a pumpkin!" he cheered.<p>

A fairly young vixen clapped her hands, arm-in-arm with her bespectacled mate.

Something about it made Sonic's heart melt, suddenly. In all honesty, he wanted that someday. College was one thing to surpass out of the innumerous schedules of life. Finally nineteen, Sonic felt adulthood setting in—much faster than he expected. Real men don't finish growing until much later, about twenty-five, his "uncle" Darren explained. Sonic caught the hypocrisy of it since the silvering fox was still addicted to anime and _shōjō-ai_ manga. To which he could only smile and nod. But still, the common "American dream with a red-door house and white picket fence, housewife, and 2.5 children, and maybe a pet" wasn't something Sonic focused on. It wasn't his dream. His dream was in photography, possibly photojournalism. He wanted to be the greatest in whatever topic or field he pursued.

He could worry about a family later, when he was earning oodles of cash with his brilliant pictures.

And the park was the perfect place to practice. The petunias on his college's campus had fallen asleep for the season, so the park's elms were the next best thing. It was the weekend, too, so schoolchildren who'd wanted to get out with their parents finally could. Red, orange, yellow, and brown leaves flew about. Twisting, curving, and whipping in the wind. A ground-to-air photo captured their play. Sonic smiled at the result, and continued across the footbridge.

As he did so, Sonic's feet became cemented to it, and his heart fluttered in disbelief. _"No way…What?"_

It was that man, again: Shadow. Though, he donned a wintrier trench coat. A black one; its leather proved it'd weathered throughout several winters. How old was it? Older than himself, even older than Shadow? What did it matter—its owner was sitting right there! Sonic gulped. A pounding in his chest knocked his feet out of place. _"It can't be…Here, of all places!"_ That ponytail was still there. It dampen Sonic's cheeks with flush. _"I can't believe it! It's gotta be a sign—or something! He's…he's here? But it's cold out here…?" _Going closer, Sonic noticed a phone in Shadow's hand. It went up to his ear. _"…Isn't he cold?"_

A pregnant pause. Sonic's blush grew. Slowly.

"Hey."

Sonic jumped away. Throwing his hands over his mouth, then creeping away.

"Yeah. I'm here in the park. …The one off 5th Street. Did you forget where it is?" Shadow giggled. "You silly…Well, I'm here, waiting for you. Hurry, I'm getting cold."

Sonic blinked, eyes widening. _"Is someone meeting him out here? Where's his bike?"_

"You'll see me, don't worry," he chuckled again. "Okay. I'll see you soon. Bye."

Upon seeing him putting down his phone, Sonic tied down his courage and approached Shadow. Bravely, and shyly somehow, he reintroduced himself. "Hey there, again. It's me, that kid from before…again." An embarrassed chuckle slipped through Sonic's teeth.

Both male hedgehogs decided to take a seat on the bench. In favor of Sonic's sunny parka, the nippy winds lulled. Fantastical leaves landed, congregating with lost siblings. The twin-tailed fox hopped into a swing his parents had made with their arms. They left, and laughed, together.

"…S-So? How've you been?"

"I've been alright. I'm still working the kinks out of my sleep schedule, now that I'm working again."

"Oh yeah? Umm…?" Sonic's eyes wandered. "Congrats."

Shadow's smile looked so sweet. "Thanks."

The blue hedgehog sat, toying with his camera, for a moment. Internally flustered, he began inspecting Shadow: Heavy, black coat—was he quick to chill? Also, his binder from the other day was missing—no work today? He had a Smartphone, and it looked expensive. Reliable, trendy, but nothing too overly complicated. He seemed simple, but could easily rock an exquisite outfit or a topnotch business suit. The only familiar thing on him was his ponytail. It looked longer than before; a different style, maybe?

His eyes' upper corners were highlighted in the same cherry. So were his eyes.

"So—Sonic, was it?"

Flinching, Sonic almost lost a hold on his camera. He caught it by the skin on his fingertips. His eyes went stark-white with wobbly outlines. "Sorry! And, yeah, that's me!" He blinked rapidly.

Despite the crazy reaction, Shadow just lightly chuckled. "Are you a photography student at the local university?"

_"How did he know?!"_ The spooked look in the boy's eyes never went away. "Umm—Umm…Yes! Yes, I am!"

Shadow was a direct contrast in reaction. "Well, I sorta figured…since you look so young, and have a camera on-hand." He let out a nostalgic huff. "Russell Boroughs University is my alma mater, you see. And since it's the only four-year institution in the city, I figured it was your best bet, too. Are you gonna graduate soon?"

Somehow, a warmth had filled the space. Sonic's parka was just enough to ward off a cold spell, for that moment with the seemingly older male. A quietness had entered him; it was exuding from him, and somehow permeating into him. There was a genuine quality to Shadow that Sonic liked. It felt solid, honest, like Shadow cared about what he had to say. But he also said that Russell Boroughs University was his alma mater. "Um, yeah. Jeez…I, uh…hum,"—his eyes chose to veer away from Shadow's—"this may be a stupid question, but…what's an alma mater?"

Not at all stunned, Shadow simply laughed. "It's a Latin phrase. I guess what I'm saying is the University is my old school. I graduated from there four years ago."

"Whoa, really? Awesome!" The boy grinned. Shadow's bashful half-smile made Sonic scratched the back of his head. "But, uh…Nah, I'm not graduating for another three years. I'm totally a newbie. I'm _way_ behind you."

"Even so, I wish you the best of luck. Don't give up." A head tilt. "…Alright?"

It was hidden underneath that coat collar. Did this guy really tilt his head—like a _bishōnen_ character? No way was_ that_ an accident. Sonic's blush, however…. "Oh—yeah! I won't! I'm not one to give up easy!" He threw himself into an over-exaggerated captain's pose. Complete with a pumped fist and cocksure grin. And sparkling, adventurous eyes. "I've got a dream, after all!"

Clearly a reference. And, surprisingly, Shadow caught onto it. He chuckled. "You're quite the actor. You're heaps and heaps of energy." He took a peek at Sonic's Nikon. "What kinds of pictures do you take?"

"Well—I take all kinds of pictures!" The blue hedgehog's sentences melted together as he fumbled with his camera. "Um, uh—? Would you like to see some?"

The boy's enthusiasm seemed to allude to an overbearing friendliness, to Shadow. Seeing they'd only met—one, two—three times; this meeting being the third. The other hedgehog's electric-blue coat was undeniably unique. There was a whimsical quality to him, too. He seemed likeable; maybe he had a passel of friends? None of them were around today, apparently. More curious about Sonic's vigor than the pictures themselves, Shadow laughed at Sonic's lightheartedness. Obviously, he was a college student. He acted like a high school kid, just as obviously. He exuded so much passion, it really boiled down when he narrated about his photos. A recent high school graduate he was, in fact.

Shadow pointed at a darkly lit picture. Dots of colored light were all that he could discern. "That was around Christmastime a couple years ago. It was midnight, 'cause I couldn't wait for Christmas morning. It was me, my mom, and her boyfriend—before carrying my 'little brother'."

It made Shadow blink at him. Lifting a curious eyebrow. "Is she with child now? Or…?"

"Yep! It's gonna be a boy, alright! He's already kicking at me, like he's got X-ray vision or something, I tell ya!" Sonic laughed. Something about the unborn child's mention made Shadow's defenses lower; he smirked. "He's gonna be here in about a month, too…." More fond caresses went over the camera's smooth black finish. The teenager's eyes kindled a misty glaze. "And I'm gonna take all kinds of pictures of him. Not just for me or my mom, either…?" He blinked out of his somberness. Then scratched his cheek. "Actually, funny story: She's really my aunt. So, technically, the baby's gonna be my little cousin."

"Oh, really? How interesting."

Such unforeseen fascination blindsided Sonic. He blinked, surprised. It felt like Shadow was genuinely interested. Something warmed Sonic's heart all the more. The older hedgehog went on to ask, "How did that come to be?" and "Did she adopt you? And she's eight months along, no less?" His "I wish you and your family well, then" was accompanied with a smile. All Sonic could muster was a downcast "Thank you."

The air had changed. Why did Sonic look so down all of a sudden? It confused Shadow slightly. "What happened to all that spunk from a couple minutes ago? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just…my mom—err, aunt—wants to make room for the baby. Which equals me moving out in a month's time. I haven't found a place yet, and I'll have to wait until next semester to sign up for a dorm…it burns even more when you've got no friends to crash with." A downhearted sigh. His ears drooped a bit. "I…I'm at a loss on what to do."

With an ebbing cheeriness, Shadow made another tiny, but nervous, smile.

Then, his ear twitched in the direction of a distant wrought-iron arbor. From underneath it someone had crossed through, and was heading toward them. How did he hear it from so far away? Heavy boots did clunk against the sidewalk, sort of loudly—but enough for Shadow to pick up. Much to Sonic's bewilderment, they had perked up. Excusing himself, Shadow made his way over to the arriving stranger.

Something made him clutch his camera tighter.

The newcomer came back with Shadow, oddly. Returning cheeriness brightened the older man's eyes, this time.

_"Who's this?"_ Sonic asked himself, but smoothing out an unpleasant glare. He got up, sensing an introduction coming on.

A shyer pleasance dampened Shadow's cheeks. But Sonic wondered why. "Knuckles, this is Sonic. He's a young man I've shared three chance-meetings with. The one I told you about the other day." The tallish echidna carried a fairly vapid expression on his face. Even in his single nod. Then, with "introduction hands" Shadow showed Sonic to him. "Sonic, this is Knuckles, my boyfriend."

A thunderbolt fried Sonic's insides. _"What—his—b-b-b-boyfriend?!"_ Apparently, Eros had whined to Zeus about someone encroaching on a match he'd made. It was strong enough to make Sonic's heart skip erratically.

For a short while, Shadow and the boyfriend carried on. In between drowned-out explanations and warbled praises, Knuckles' wardrobe inflated the question mark raging over Sonic's head. Somehow, the echidna looked like a not-so-well-off local; could've easily passed as a drug dealer or something. Clearly thuggish, the loose neckerchief, baggy jeans, and nearly invisible belt didn't do his overall image any justice. Those boots looked expensive, like he didn't care about his rent or light bill. So did his (surely fake) fur-lined coat; its inner wolf pelt looked tacky. But Shadow seemed relatively unfazed. In reality—and much to Sonic's despondence—he seemed to like it! Nothing looked too pulled-together to Sonic.

Maybe it was because of the greener-eyed jumpstart Eros's tease had given him. It wasn't a nice thing to do at all. But his bow did move as Shadow talked, and smiled, and giggled. So _bishōnen _that Sonic thought the world was going to implode. His blush didn't think so, contrarily.

Much to Knuckles' still-vapid suspicion.

Suddenly, Shadow's eyes came into view. "Here, Sonic." After a brief dig, Shadow handed him a business card. A bit stupidly, the teen blinked down at it. "That's an extra card I snagged before leaving from work. If you act fast, you could get on as a photographer there. I think your pictures are phenomenal, Sonic,"—that shy smile made an encore appearance—"so you should apply. It's an up-and-coming modeling agency, and they're in need of new talent, you know." Turning away, "I hope you give it some thought. No pressure, though, okay?"

Another head tilt? Sonic's mind could've just as easily imploded, instead. But the hedgehog and the echidna with him were moving farther and farther away. Even though Shadow's wave was apologetic and his "See ya 'round" all kinds of sweet, their handhold was just as mindful. Too mindful; was it the other guy's demarcation of territory?

Whatever it was, it'd shattered the dreamy gleam in Sonic's eyes. Garbled words—like "Baby" and "date"—came out of that guy's mouth. As in, an address to Shadow? And, something they'll go on together? It scrambled Sonic's brain. His eyes jittered a bit.

_"Who _was_ that guy? And why…is this warmth…in my chest…"_ His hold on the tiny purple card tightened. _"…fading?"_

_I knew it. It really was…too good to be true._

Shadow's cute smile had come and gone in that single meeting. Their third and, possibly, final meeting. Taking up that job opportunity would boost his chances of achieving his dreams, though. It was a chance at starting his life—and what better place to start than at your dream job? It wasn't the photojournalism he'd envisioned, but somehow it sounded cooler. Faster. Better. And—after a twinge in his chest—like he'd be closer to Shadow.

The never-to-be-single-again, possibly never-been bachelor Eros had bestowed his most captivating weapon upon. The same one that echidna had briefly teased with his tongue. Had they almost kissed?

The tiny purple card didn't want to be lost in the wind. Neither did the college student. He was trying to unscramble his brain.

Then, with sharp resolution: "I just have to see him again."

_"See ya 'round…"_

_I just have to…see _you_ again._

Because Sonic never liked eggs growing up.

_Frame Six Photographed…_


End file.
